Arizona volleyball on the road to play the Beavers and No. 4 Ducks

Arizona heads to Oregon after splitting a weekend at home

Arizona is coming off an up-and-down weekend with a highlight win over No. 6 UCLA last week and a close loss against No. 5 USC. This weekend, the team will go to Oregon to take on Oregon State on Friday at 6 p.m. and No. 4 Oregon on Sunday at 7 p.m.

“I feel like we play better when we’re on the road just because we’re always together,” sophomore middle blocker Rachel Rhoades said. “It makes us bond and play for each other.”

The team’s competitive performance against USC and UCLA was a team effort. Head coach Dave Rubio said he is pleased with the way his team’s chemistry has progressed.

“I don’t think I necessarily change my swing each time around,” sophomore Madi Kingdon said, “but with each team we play we practice hitting different areas and adjusting angles.”

Earlier in the season Arizona defeated Oregon State 3-1 at home.

The win was key for the Wildcats because the team was struggling with consistency at the time, but was able to pull through.

The Beavers are currently 3-11 in the Pac-12 and have fallen to the Wildcats in their past five matches. In the all-time series, Arizona is 41-13.

The Oregon Ducks have one of the most experienced and well-rounded offenses in the country. They lead the NCAA in assists per set with 14.72 and kills with 15.77 per set. Their highly effective offense is led by setter Lauren Plum and will pose a challenge for Arizona.

“Reading the hitters and being able to get as many touches to slow down the ball to help our defense is important,” freshman middle blocker Olivia Magill said.